Dear Bangor School Department Families,
This letter is to notify you of a State of Maine program to assist families with the nutritional needs of students during the summer break.
We want to help avoid any confusion. In 2023, we received last minute notification from the State of families that would receive a debit card (called a P-EBT card) with a certain amount of money for the purchase of nutritious food. The "P" stood for Pandemic funds that were being distributed to all families.
The program for 2024 is not connected to pandemic funding, and so it is discussing a regular EBT card for qualifying families. To qualify, families need to meet certain financial need criteria or already be enrolled in programs where this criteria has already been established.
Please see the letter and informational sheet, linked below. If your family does qualify and you still have the card from last year, it is my understanding that the State will load the new funds onto it electronically and you could use it. If your family is eligible but you no longer have the card, please contact the program with the contact information included on the letters attached below.
Notifications of eligibility will be going out as soon as Friday, so if you receive one this information should help you to avoid any confusion.
Enthusiastically yours,
James Tager
Superintendent
Bangor School Department